OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month and a local non-profit along with a mental health clinic are working together to focus on Latinos. 

Jaykarey Skerett lived through Hurricane Maria in 2017 and a 6.4 magnitude earthquake in 2020, all in Puerto Rico. These are moments she feels marked her for life.

In Spanish, she said, “In my case, I had a full blown panic attack — nervous, stress, anxiety — and it’s something that has become difficult to overcome.”

Skerett continues to receive treatment, but said she often has a hard time finding mental health services in Spanish. “Everything is in English and I don't understand what they're telling me,” she said; however, a new local initiative is being launched that may help Skerett. 

During a press conference by the non-profit Hablamos Español and Pan American Behavioral Health Services of Florida, it was announced that for the next 3 years they will be providing free therapy and counseling to Hispanics. It doesn’t matter if folks are uninsured, what their immigration status is or what language they speak. 

Brendan Ramirez, who launched Pan American Behavioral Health Services of Florida in 2013, said there’s a gap when it comes to minorities.

“We could be dead last out of the 50 states in per capita funding for mental health. And it's even worse when it comes to the Black and Brown communities,” Ramirez said. 

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, Hispanics were 50% less likely to have received mental health treatment in 2018.

“We know that there is a stigma, particularly in Black and Brown communities seeking mental health services,” Ramirez said. “But we should never treat illnesses from the neck down differently than the way we treat illnesses from the neck up.”

Skerett is happy others like her might gain more accessibility down the line.

“In my opinion, there should be more tools and resources just like this one for our community,” Skerett added.  

The funding for this partnership comes from a $1.2 million harm reduction grant from the National Institutes of Health. 

Pan American Behavioral Health Services of Florida will be opening an office in Kissimmee to better serve the Osceola County community.